Fabrics

FABRICS

Factory / I've Not Been Eating (1980)

Look At This (1980)

Tonight (1981)

FinnArctic-esittely:

"Turku-born vocalist Tommi Läntinen has had a long and event-filled career in music. He had formed a basement group with drummer Tomi Ahti, called Bundesbank, in 1976. When Bundesbank disbanded in 1979, the boys hit upon the idea of a Turku "supergroup". The original lineup had Läntinen on bass and vocals, Ahti on drums, Vekke Mäki on guitar, and Kim Trapp on keyboards. Mäki and Läntinen couldn't cope with each other, however, so Ari "Hombre" Lampinen from the about-to-disband experimental instrumental group Niittikone was assigned as the new guitarist. Lampinen brought his bandmates Tero Ovaska (bass) and Tapio "Ränni" Mäkinen (sax) with him, and Fabrics were ready to let the ball rolling.

The first album "Look At This" was released by new label Edge Records in 1980 (first of the label's three LP releases). The music here is slightly new-wavey modern rock, quite shaky as can be expected from a debut release, but there are lots of good ideas here.

The second album "Tonight" was released by Finnlevy's subsidiary label Dig It. The music is more mature and basic rock'n'roll. The highlight is definitely the closing ballad "Summer Is Fading", a childhood favourite that still moves me. Lovely piano and string backing and a good saxophone solo. No wonder the song was a minor hit (although it should have been BIG!). Another song that I like is "Trappezina", which sports a fast drumbeat, a catchy saxophone riff that follows Trapp's piano plinking, and a powerful keyboard climax. Original and memorable! "Empty Café" also seems to have received some radio airplay, and why not, it's a nice song too.

One single, "Eskimos and Chinese / Fall in Love Again" followed in 1982, after this it was time for Läntinen to move on to other pastures. His trademark red lion mane - sorry, hair - has been seen in countless bands since, short-lived projects that never quite received the attention they deserved. Tommi Läntinen now keeps a solo career, has reformed his most prominent band Boycott, and has re-recorded "Summer Is Fading" in Finnish. Circles have closed?"

Turkulainen Edge Records oli surullinen pikku levymerkki. Eivät saaneet julkaistuksi kuin kolme LP:tä ja yhden singlen ennen konkurssia, ja levyjen kansista näkee ettei heillä ollut markkaakaan ylimääräistä törsättäväksi kansitaiteeseen ja pahviin. Pasi & Mysiinin ja Fred's Round Barin levyjen ympärille kietaistiin jotain outoa halvanoloista säikeistä pahvia, ja mustavalkokuvat painettiin pahimmillaan huonolaatuisina. Suunnitelmissa oli julkaista useita lisääkin levyjä sellaisilta nimiltä kuin Makeat Varpaankynnet ja Härski Voi. Pop-joulu -niminen kokoelma piti tulla, ja Fabricsin kakkoslevy samaten. Fabricsin Tonightin julkaisikin sitten Musiikki-Fazerin/Finnlevyn omistama Dig It.

Singleversio Factory-kappaleesta on kiinnostavinta Fabricsia, mutta Look At This ei juuri häviä tasokkuudessa. Kavereilla oli paljon hienoja ideoita, joiden toteuttamisessa onnistuttiin vähintään tyydyttävästi.